September 30, 2011

ENJOY THE QUALITY TIME YOU SPEND WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS! THIS TIME IS WHAT FORMS OUR LASTING MEMORIES!!!

How often do you truly treasure and cherish the personal time you get to spend with your family and friends? How do you spend your evenings with your family after work? Do you spend it stressed out and worried about the tasks that you need to accomplish tomorrow at work? All the time we have with our family and friends is time in which we will never be able to replace, so we need to respect that time and use it wisely. Enjoy your time with your loved ones, because these moments are what form our lasting memories.

Lasting memories can be formed in so many ways, such as having coffee with a friend, going out to a movie for a girl's or guy's night out, watching a movie at home with the family or friends, playing a board game, going to the park, walking through a store, etc. You don't have to spend lots of money in order to make lasting memories. In the evenings, I like to just be in the same room with my family. I look back at my own life, and I realize how much time I wasted by spending my evenings in another room especially if my husband and I were arguing about something unimportant. This precious time is something that cannot be replaced. I can never get those hours and years back. I wasted so many lasting memories. 

How can you start to make lasting memories in your own life? I understand that some of you who may be reading this may not have families; however, I am sure that you interact with people on a daily basis. There has to be someone in your life who you can make lasting memories with, such as a close friend or coworker. You can even make lasting memories by helping out a stranger. I remember helping out an elderly lady one time at the gas station. She was having trouble pumping gas into her car. She said she had never pumped gas before and her husband was in the hospital. Instead of trying to explain to her how to do it, I just did it for her. That is a lasting memory that I will never forget. Other memories include memories I have shared with my husband, son, and other family members. For instance, years ago my husband and I hosted a Christmas party for both sides of our family, and those parties left memories in our hearts. Enjoy the time you have with your family and friends, and always cherish the memories you create! Life is so short, so never take one minute for granted. Each of our moments are precious gifts!

September 29, 2011

BLESSINGS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!!!

Would you recognize a blessing when one is granted to you, or are you too busy in your everyday routine that  a blessing could be knocking on your door and you would never see it to appreciate it? Sometimes we need to slow down in life to appreciate the blessings that we are given every day. Today my family had many blessings bestowed upon us, and I am very fortunate that I recognized these blessings, and I thanked God right away! Blessings can come in all shapes in sizes. However, we must be awake and in the here and now to recognize when we are being blessed. 

My son attends an after school program. Today when I picked him up, I realized that it is the end of the month and his membership fee for next month was once again due. I had stated earlier in the week that I wanted to pay cash for his membership dues; however, after I paid my bills today, I had no money left over. The only method of payment I had was my credit card which has gotten out of control since my husband became ill two years ago. As I handed the lady at the front desk my credit card, she looked at me and told me that my son's account had a credit which would cover the entire cost of the dues plus I would have a few dollars left over toward November's fee. The program had credited days my son had missed in August after I had my car accident, and I wasn't working. I hadn't even asked them to credit the days! They did it without my knowing which was a total blessing! I stood there and I thanked God in front of everyone! 

After that my family went grocery shopping for the first time in several months. My husband was fortunate enough to have received gift cards as an award from his place of employment for 15 years of service. We were able to buy all our groceries without spending a dime of our own money, and we walked away with a balance on the gift card! Another amazing blessing! We also received dinner for free, because a local convenience store opened a new store, and they sent my husband coupons in the mail for free sandwiches and beverages! Another amazing blessing today!!!

Don't be so distracted by life that you forget to recognize when God is blessing you! We receive blessings every single day, and it is up to us to appreciate those blessings or we can just take them for granted. If we appreciate them, we will be granted more blessings! If we ignore all our blessings, we might not be granted with as many. Each day in itself is a beautiful blessing, and what we do with each of our minutes from each of our days is completely up to us! Count your blessings! You are given many!

September 28, 2011

PRACTICE A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS EVERY DAY!!!

When was the last time you did something kind for someone else? One way of creating joy in our own lives and providing joy in another person's life is by practicing random acts of kindness. Now, this does not mean that we have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on lavish gifts. We can spread the joy by doing little things for people each day. Be kind to everyone, because everyone is facing some kind of battle. 

You might be thinking, "How can I spread acts of kindness without spending money?" Well, it could start out with something simple, such as holding the door for someone or sending an old friend a card through the mail. Acts of kindness do not have to cost money; however, if you feel compelled to provide an act of kindness by purchasing a gift, maybe you could buy a stranger a cup of coffee. Maybe you could give the waitress an extra tip. One time someone anonymously sent my son a gift card in the mail to a new restaurant which was opening in our town which he desperately wanted to go to. However, this was during a time when my family could not afford extra luxuries such as eating out due to my husband's medical bills. Till this day I have no idea who sent the gift card. No one admitted to it. However, my son was very grateful, and he truly did enjoy his chili dogs from Sonic. If our anonymous friend is reading this, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 

Spreading acts of kindness not only makes the recipient happy, but it brings joy to the giver as well. In the past when my family was more financially secure, I loved giving to people who were in need or to family members who I knew needed a helping hand. I think it brought more joy into my heart than what the gift may have brought my friends. Start each new day by asking yourself, "How can I help someone today?" Then practice random acts of kindness!

September 27, 2011

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY EVERY DAY!!!

How do you start your days? Do you grumble, mope, and complain even before you get out of bed in the morning or do you start the day by thanking God for another amazing, blessed day? Each day you should have a wonderful day, because each day is a beautiful gift that has been granted to us once again when we awake at sunrise. We can make up our minds to have a wonderful day regardless of the circumstances that we may be facing in life. Lean to have a wonderful day every day!

Today while I was at work a customer came up to my register, and I pleasantly smiled and said, "Hello. How are you today." The customer looked back at me and said, "Oh okay. How are you today?" I replied, "Wonderful!" The customer was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. I started to laugh and joke around with my customer telling him that he didn't expect to hear that answer which he replied that he did not. About a half hour later, the man's wife came up to me and told me that their food was prepared perfectly, and she and her husband hoped that I continued to have a wonderful day. That is exactly what I did! I finished out my shift in pleasant spirits while accomplishing all my tasks, and I took my wonderful mood home with me to my son and husband.  

Sometimes all it takes to change a person's mood from rotten to pleasant is a kind word or a pleasant smile. Sometimes all a person needs is someone to show them that they care. For instance, the restaurant I work at is across the street from the hospital, and a lot of the elderly people who come in are people who have loved ones in the hospital. Sometimes all those people need is to hear that there are people in the world who care about them and their well being. In the last two weeks, I have told several people that I would keep them and their loved ones in my prayers, because they were facing a difficult time in their lives. Make it a point to have a wonderful day every day, because you might make others have wonderful days as well!

September 26, 2011

REALIZE THAT YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS BIG WORLD!!!

Do you ever feel like everyone in this big, old world is against you? Do you ever feel like you are all alone? Have you ever felt like you can never do anything right? Do you ever get so discouraged that you wonder why God brought you to this planet? Well, my friend, if you struggle with self-esteem like I have for nearly my entire life, then these are just a few of the struggles that you face on a daily basis. However, I am here to tell you that you are extremely important in this big world!

You are a unique creature! You are one of a kind! It does not matter how you may feel about others or what you may think that they think about you. All that matters is that you start to realize how important you are to this puzzle called life. We were all created for a reason. We were all sent here to fulfill a purpose, and we must begin to tell ourselves that we truly do make a difference on this planet. You might not think that you make a difference, but there is someone in this world who thinks the world of you!

The next time you are having a down day, wake up and pay attention to the people and circumstances that take place in your life. Notice how many people are there to lift your spirits. Sometimes these people aren't even people we know. It could be the nice man who held the door for you at the post office, or it could be the lady who checked you out at the grocery store. However, many times you are that person who lightens another person's burdens. You are the one who brings light into his or her day.

Today, as like many of the recent days in my near past, was a difficult day for me. I have been dealing with a lot of anger with unfortunate circumstances that my family has been facing. Today made me question my entire existence. Then my husband said something that meant the world to me, "Focus on the people who think the world of you, me and our son. Realize that you truly make a difference in our lives, and we are glad that you are still with us and you weren't taken from us in that car accident." What my husband said made me realize that I do make a difference in this big world! NEVER give up on yourself regardless of what you may be facing! You are am important aspect of this world, and you truly make a difference for the better!

September 25, 2011

DO NOT ALLOW FEAR TO OVERTAKE YOU!!!

How often do we pass things by in life because we are afraid of what the outcome may be? Do you decide not to do something because of what you may feel that other people may think, or possibly because you have never done something like it ever before? Many times we pass by golden opportunities, because we are afraid that we might fail. However, what if I told you that everyone had to start somewhere? Would that make you change your mind about attempting different aspects of life? Do not live your life in fear, and never allow fear to overtake you!

Tonight I was debating whether or not to take two subbing positions for the end of the week. I was contemplating not taking the jobs just because it is for a position that I have never done before. However, I had to take a step back and analyze the situation. There was a time in my life when I had never subbed at all. The entire subbing experience was one that I had never participated in until I took that initial step to try something new. This time I had to tell myself again that I could do this new position. I just have to believe in myself. 

There will come a time in every person's life that he or she will have to try something new. We will never know what we are capable of accomplishing if we never try. We have to be willing to take that step forward, and we have to be willing to open new doors. Don't let fear get you down, and do not talk yourself out of something beneficial such as a new job just because you have never done that type of work before. Everyone has to start somewhere, and most of us start at the bottom and work our way to the top. Do not allow fear to keep you down!

September 24, 2011

GIVE BACK TO THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED YOU!!!

Have you had people who stepped up and helped you while you may have been facing difficult times? Do you remember these people when they may be facing troubling times, or do you go about your own business not paying them any mind? It is very important that we remember the people who help us in our lives. If someone helps you out when you desperately need someone, remember them when they are going through difficult periods. 

When we give to others, we allow the Universe to give to us. However, we should not give just to get back. We should give for the pleasure that helping others brings. I have always been a natural giver. I believe this trait came from my Dad, because he was also a giver. The joy I feel when I help someone who needs my help is absolutely amazing. 

Giving does not require you to go out buy extravagant gifts. We can give back by sharing things that do not cost us anything. For instance, you can call someone when you know they need a friend to talk to, or you can send a friend a card just to tell them what they mean to you. Never forget the people who are there for you during your life. Give back to those who help you!!!

September 23, 2011

PRAY FOR GOD TO CARRY YOU THROUGH YOUR TROUBLES!!!

The only way my family has made it through the last several years is by prayer. Just one month ago, prayer saved my life and allowed me to walk away from a horrible car accident. The Bible says to pray without ceasing. Sometimes, we go through life thinking that we can do everything on our own. However, what we need to realize is that Jesus knew what he was talking about. We need to pray all of the time not just when life isn't going the way we want it to go. We should pray to God and thank Him for the blessings that He bestows on us each day, and we should also lean on Him and pray for deliverance from our difficulties. In times of need, don't be afraid to ask God to carry you through your troubling times. 

Sometimes, the difficulties we face in life get to be too much for our souls to bear. When we find ourselves at our breaking point, we need to fall on our knees and ask God to carry us through to a brighter tomorrow. We are not meant to try to do everything on our own. God wants us to ask for help. It is up to us if we want God's help that is why He gave us free will. 

The last several years have left my family in grave financial distress. The last several days have been very difficult for my husband and I. Our family has been through a tremendous stressful situation, but I do believe the financial burden we now face is more difficult than dealing with my husband's surgery and cancer treatments. I need to learn to lean on God and allow Him to deliver my family through our challenges. I have made up my mind that I will try to sell my Wizard of Oz painting again on eBay. God has a plan to better our lives, and I believe that He will deliver my family from this financial strain, and we will come out better than before my husband was diagnosed with cancer. I am asking God to PLEASE carry my family through these trying times! I believe that God will carry us, because we are tired of trying to carry our own troubles.  

September 22, 2011

LEARN IMPORTANT LIFE LESSONS FROM THE BILLBOARDS YOU SEE EVERY DAY!!!

A few years ago, messages on billboards like the one above starting popping up along highways in the United States. My family loved to drive down the highway to see what new message would be posted next. We found these messages humorous, so over the years, I got into the habit of reading billboards because some of these messages were extremely inspiring. Tonight on our way home from picking up my husband from work, he noticed the following message on a church sign, "For Christians, death is the rescue from life."

I found this message very disturbing! Now, I think I understand what this church is trying to say, because I consider myself a Christian; however, I keep my views on God and religion to myself, because my views are different than most Christians that I know. However, I do believe in God, and in my own opinion, I think this church was trying to say that death from "self" rescues us from the "materialism" of life. This quote on this church billboard made me wonder what non-believers might think. They might feel that the church was promoting suicide. I told my family that someone should call that church and remind them that life is a precious gift from God. People should think about what they are posting for the world to see, because you never know what another person's perspective of the message will be. 

Most of the time the messages on billboards can be funny and even inspiring, but there are times when we read something that just does not sit well with us. For instance, the message my family saw tonight clearly could have been worded differently. In the past, I have written about finding inspiration everywhere. You can even find inspiration on a billboard, so keep your eyes open and read the messages that the Universe may be sending you just be careful of your perspective of the message. The meaning may be totally different than what you may perceive. 

September 21, 2011

BE UNDERSTANDING OF ANOTHER'S FRUSTRATION!!!

There will always be people in our lives who will need us to be understanding while they may be facing rocky roads or who may be having a bad day. Sometimes, the people who are close to us just need someone to listen to them vent. When someone you know is facing some negative circumstances be there for that person and be understanding of your friend's frustrations. 

Today my son had a difficult day at school. He took his Yu-Gi-Oh cards, which is a card game, along to school, so that he and his friends could play the game after they got finished eating lunch. Well, today a boy who was supposed to be my son's friend stole two of his very rare cards. When my son confronted the boy about the situation, the boy denied it, and the teacher who was on duty in the cafeteria did not look through the other boy's cards in order to see if he had taken my son's cards. When I picked up my son from his after school program, he was very upset that this had happened to him. What I did was listen to my son vent about his cards being stolen. I explained to my son that he had every right to be angry, because it is never easy when someone else takes what we work so hard for ourselves. My son uses his allowance to buy his own cards, and the two cards which were stolen were very special to him because one he got while participating in a tournament and the other his father had given to him as a gift. I explained to my son not to allow this event to get him down, but to use this circumstance as a learning experience. He agreed that he would never take his cards back to school again.

When others are facing frustrating periods in their lives, be that friend who will listen intently and actually listen. Sometimes others need us to be there for them to help guide them through trying times. Just remember how you feel when you are having a bad day, and you wish that you had someone to talk to. Be that person in another's life! Help others face their frustrations! You will be helping others through hard days.

September 20, 2011

YOUR DIFFICULTIES WILL STRENGTHEN YOU!!!

How many difficulties are you facing in your life right now? Does it seem like one challenge after the other keeps knocking on your door? Are you tired of facing struggles and wondering why you are going through rough patches in your life? Our difficulties build our character, and they help to strengthen us into better individuals. 

For the past several years, it seems like my family has been facing one struggle after another. I won't go into detail of every circumstance that my family has faced; however, the last struggle we have faced is trying to share one vehicle when my husband and I both have to go back and forth to work, and my husband works in a town 30 miles from our home. For the past three weeks, my family has been leaving before sunrise to drive my husband to his job, so that my son and I can get back to our hometown in time to drop off our son at school, and I can get to work by 8 a.m. Today my husband and I stopped at a local car dealership, test drove a nice used vehicle, and applied for the car loan. However, due to all the outstanding medical bills my family owes from my husband's cancer treatments, we did not qualify for an automobile loan. I could allow this information to get me down, or I can accept it and move on. It is a difficulty which will make me stronger. I will just have to concentrate on getting some of our other debt paid off before I will be able to get another car.

It is not our adversities which  break us in life, it is our perception of the adversities. We can look at our difficulties negatively, or we can look at them as learning experiences, and we can allow these struggles to strengthen us and make us better. It is not good practice to allow self-pity into your life. Look at your circumstances and see how you can become stronger.

September 19, 2011

YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE YOU NEED TO BE!!

Do you ever feel like you are going backwards through life? Do you ever feel like you should be doing more, or that you are not where you are supposed to be in life? Even though we may not want to accept this fact, but we are exactly where we need to be at this very moment in time. We may not be able to figure out why we are at the place we are, and we may not even like where we are in our lives; however, God puts us in the exact right place at the exact right time. We are where we are supposed to be right now in our lives.

Last week I went back to working at the same fast food restaurant that I worked at when I was 16 years old.  I have no idea why God brought me back to this job, but I do believe that it is for more than just a paycheck. Maybe God wants to prove to me that I can do anything in life, or He wants me have more faith in myself. This last week has been very difficult for me. What was very easy for me 20 years ago, has become very difficult and challenging. In the past two days, I have found myself near tears while trying to take people's orders. A few times I even told myself that I can no longer do this job, but I soon counter that thought with "You did it once, you can do it again!" So, I keep putting one foot in front of the other, and I keep going through my work days telling myself that it will get easier with each day I go to work.

When you think that you are not where you need to be in life, just tell yourself that you are exactly where God needs you and wants you at this very moment in time. God puts you in places that you may never even dream of being in. I never thought in a million years that I would be working at my very first job, but this is where God wants me to be. Where you are is where you are supposed to be!

September 18, 2011

CARRY A GRATITUDE ROCK WITH YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO!!!

Have you ever heard of gratitude rocks? Gratitude rocks are simply rocks that you carry with you in your pocket to remind you of all you have to be grateful for in life. When you start feeling down, you put your hand in your pocket, remove your rock, look at your rock, and remember everything in your life that has brought you meaning and blessings. Gratitude rocks can also be larger, such as a paperweight that you sit on your desk at work to remind you of your blessings. However, in my own life, I started out small with two small rocks that my son gave me from his rock collection; a pink rock and a green rock, that I keep in my pocket to remind me of the love my son and husband share with me.

Gratitude rocks are a symbol of our blessings! When I first started out on this inspirational journey, I wasn't the most happiest person to be around. I was sort of a negative naysayer, and I have read lots of inspirational books to help to get me back on the right positive track. One book I read was The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, and in that book is where I learned about gratitude rocks. So, I asked my son to choose me two rocks from his rock collection which I could use as my gratitude rocks, and he chose two very beautiful rocks that I cherish. Now, you do not have to use fancy, colored rocks that you need to buy at a store. You can simply find some rocks outside while you are walking along, and you can use those as your gratitude rocks. All you need is a small stone to carry with you that you can hold when your emotions become down which will help to remind you of all your blessings.

If you want to live a more positive life and if you are having a hard time getting started on your path, find some rocks that you can use as your gratitude rocks that you can carry with your throughout your days. I know this act probably sounds silly, but it does help to transform your life. Every time I felt myself becoming depressed during my day, I simply took out my rocks and reminded myself of all the blessings I already have in my life. Carry a gratitude rock with you everywhere you go and watch it transform your life into something amazing!

September 17, 2011

BE GRATEFUL FOR THE THINGS YOU DON'T HAVE!!!

You have probably always heard to be grateful for the things that you have already been blessed with; however, did you ever think about being grateful for things that you don't have? Sometimes, it is easier to get caught up in thinking about what we feel we lack in life. These ideas of lack can bring us emotions of depression and inadequacy. Maybe you should stop and think about the things that you should be grateful for that you don't have in life. 

If you look at your life, you will probably see how fortunate you really are. If you have your health, you have more than what some people in this world have. I once knew someone who was a miserable person to be around. This person was going through a divorce, and the spouse had been rewarded soul custody of the children. This person looked at everything negative in his life instead of looking at anything positive. When I tried to explain to him that he had so much to be grateful for including perfect health, this person did not want to hear anything I had to say.

If you are blessed with good health, then that alone is something to be grateful for. You should be grateful that you have not been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. You should be grateful that you do not have to live your life through chemotherapy or radiation treatments. You should be grateful that you don't have to have any major surgeries. When life starts to get you down, just remember to be grateful for the things that you do not have!